Dr. Lily Laux, a former top official at the Texas Education Agency, has been tapped by Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill to serve as her Commissioner of Education.
In Texas, Laux spent seven years as Deputy Commissioner of School Programs; a biography posted online said she “led the transformation of Texas education by redesigning the state assessment system, relaunching statewide literacy academies, and developing bilingual, open-source instructional materials.”
“New Jersey is proud to have some of the best schools in the country, yet too often student experience varies by ZIP code and resources are misspent or not directed appropriately. Ensuring every student has access to a world-class education is a top priority for my administration,” said Sherrill. “Lily is a lifelong public servant and educator with decades of experience helping children learn and thrive. I look forward to working with her to invest in mental health services, high-impact tutoring, and other critical programs that will expand opportunity and help our children get ahead.”
Lt. Governor-elect Dale Caldwell, a 26-year school board member and former university president, said that Laux was “exactly the type of experienced leader we need to deliver for our students.”
“As an educator, I have always believed education is the key to a fair society. I look forward to working with Laux to ensure every child has access to a high-quality education that will open doors and create opportunities,” Caldwell stated. “With decades of education work, she is exactly the type of experienced leader we need to deliver for our students,”
A former middle school teacher in Memphis, Laux spent 8 years in leadership roles at Teach For America. She grew up in rural Western Massachusetts, the daughter of a low-income single mother. For the last few years, she has worked at educational consulting firms.
Last year, Laux was one of three finalists to become the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education.
While competing for that post, Laux made a statement that appears consistent with Sherrill’s view of how to handle learning loss created by in-person school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The lingering effects of the pandemic have created the widest achievement gaps we’ve ever seen, particularly around socioeconomic lines,” she said. “I would absolutely expect the commissioner to be judged on how we’re addressing closing those gaps.”
Sherrill’s pick of Laux came without consulting the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest public employee union. The union endorsed Sherrill in September after previously spending roughly $40 million to nominate their own candidate, former Montclair Mayor Sean Spilller, the NJEA president
Laux will replace Kevin Dehmer, who was appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2024. Some Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, supported Dehmer’s retention.
A graduate of Columbia University, Laux received a master’s degree from the University of Memphis and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
